Simulation of optical projection with polarization- dependent stray light to explore the difference between dry and immersion lithography
- 1 January 2004
- journal article
- Published by SPIE-Intl Soc Optical Eng in Journal of Micro/Nanolithography, MEMS, and MOEMS
- Vol. 3 (1), 9-20
- https://doi.org/10.1117/1.1636769
Abstract
When imaging at high incident angles to the resist, both the reflected light from the resist surface and the image forming process of the transmitted light into the resist are polarization dependent. The transmitted TM component and the reflected TE and TM components tend to induce stray light as a function of the incident angle. In this work, these components are analyzed and evaluated quantitatively. The polarization-dependent stray light (PDS) and the system stray light found in regular optical imaging systems are incorporated into a simulation program for diffracted intensity distribution to construct exposure-defocus (E-D) trees and windows to evaluate the exposure latitude and depth of focus (DOF) of typical circuit elements. The DOF of line-space pairs and contact holes with and without PDS are compared in the cases of two- and three-beam interference, first- and second-order beams, binary intensity masks, and phase shifting masks. Even though the 193-nm immersion system is shown to be better than 157- and 193-nm dry systems, using polarized illumination can improve DOF, particularly in low situations, and in other situations when the stray-light-free image contrast is low. © 2004 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.
Keywords
This publication has 10 references indexed in Scilit:
- Challenges in high NA, polarization, and photoresistsPublished by SPIE-Intl Soc Optical Eng ,2002
- SignamizationPublished by SPIE-Intl Soc Optical Eng ,1996
- Focus effects in submicron optical lithography, part 4: metrics for depth of focusPublished by SPIE-Intl Soc Optical Eng ,1995
- The Exposure-Defocus ForestJapanese Journal of Applied Physics, 1994
- Off-axis illumination--working principles and comparison with alternating phase-shifting masksPublished by SPIE-Intl Soc Optical Eng ,1993
- Lithographic tolerances based on vector diffraction theoryJournal of Vacuum Science & Technology B: Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures, 1992
- Methods to print optical images at low-k 1 factorsPublished by SPIE-Intl Soc Optical Eng ,1990
- The Paths To Subhalf-Micrometer Optical LithographyPublished by SPIE-Intl Soc Optical Eng ,1988
- Use Of Carbonized Photoresist For Optical Mask RepairPublished by SPIE-Intl Soc Optical Eng ,1988
- AZ1350J as a Deep‐U.V. Mask MaterialJournal of the Electrochemical Society, 1980